Citronella candle and stand



Nov. 15, 1966 F. MARCH] GITRONELLA CANDLE AND STAND Filed Dec. 9, 1964 INVENTOR. Ferd/00nd Marc/w BY h/s affomeys Unite States Patent 3,285,694 CITRONELLA CANDLE AND STAND Ferdinand Marchi, Staten Island, N.Y., assignor to Louis Marchi & Co., Inc., Staten Island, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 417,129 9 Claims. (Cl. 21-116) This invention pertains to insect repellant candle assemblies of the type in which an insect repellant candle isheld in a windproof vessel, and to a combination closure and stand for such vessels.

The vast growth of the suburban population and the popularization of outdoor dining and entertaining has brought with it a demand for so-called patio candles. These are candles containing a volatilizable insect repellant such as citronella positioned in a vessel, normally of glass, of such shape and size as to provide a windscreen for the candle. Not only do such candles discourage the presence of insects, but they provide a certain degree of illumination and present an attractive appearance.

Normally when vessels containing candles of this na* ture are purchased by the consumer, they are closed by a simple cardboard, paper, plastic or foil cap somewhat like a milk bottle cap. This is normally discarded by the consumer once the candle has been lit.

Candles of this type will burn for an extended time and normally are not consumed at a single lighting. The insect repellants used, such as citronella, are volatile and tend to escape from the wax in which they are dissolved or dispersed even when the candle is not lit. Hence, it is desirable to pr-ovide a means for covering the candle during storage to preserve the repellant. However, the caps conventionally used are too flimsy and unattractive to be retained for continued use.

Two other apparently unrelated problems arise with the use of these candles. In the first place, when the wax has been nearly used up, so that the candle burns near the bottom of the vessel, the vessel walls grow hot and there is a danger of the heat scorching or marring wood or painted surfaces on which the vessel may have been set.

Secondly, candles of this type are difiicult to extinguish. The vessel is made to be windproof. Hence, the candles can be blown out only with difiiculty. To snulf the candle requires finding a fiat object which is not readily flammable and which can be exposed to scorching or blacking. Such objects are not always easily available.

In accordance with the invention these difiiculties are overcome by means of a combined cover and stand which, when the candle is not in use, fits snugly over the opening of the vessel, suppressing volatilization of the repellant, and when the candle is in use, provides a stand for the candle. Further, the device, if applied to the vessel when the candle is lit, effectively snufis the candle.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a combined cover and stand according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of a candle-coverstand assembly in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the combined coverstand of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the cover-stand of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view in vertical section along the line 55 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawing, a candle-cover-stand assembly in accordance with the invention comprises a vessel 10, normally of glass, having, at its top, a constricted Opening 11 with a beaded rim 12. The lower portion of the vessel 10 contains a candle 13. The composition of the candle is not a part of the invention. Normally it will consist of citronella dispersed in a hydrocarbon wax but obviously other insect repellants and various types of wax may be used without departing from the invention. A wick 14 is provided in the candle 13.

The combination cover-stand 15 which is designed to cooperate with the vessel 10 comprises an outer wall 16 which is tapered downwardly and outwardly to give a generally conical configuration. In the center of the cover-stand 15 is a dished-out depression, cavity or cup 17 having substantially fiat bottom 18 and a side wall 19 which is tapered downwardly and inwardly. Connecting the outer wall 16 and the cavity side wall 19 is an upper wall 20 having a substantially flat upper surface 21.

Formed integrally with the outer wall 16 and constituting an extension thereof are four legs 22, 23, 24 and 25. These legs are proportioned so that when the stand is placed upright on a surface 26, with the legs supporting the stand, the bottom wall 18 of the cup or cavity 17 is raised a substantial distance above the surface 26.

Around the interior of the outer wall 16 are located a plurality, in this case four, ribs 27, 28, 29 and 30, each of which may have a reinforcing element 35. These ribs extend inwardly toward the side wall 19 of the cup 17 but terminate short of that wall in vertical edges 31, 32, 33 and 34, respectively. The ribs are tapered so that the vertical Width of the ribs is less at the terminal vertical edges 31-34 than at the outer wall 16. The terminal vertical edges 31-34 of the ribs 27-30 define, with the inner wall 19 of the cup 17, a series of locking slots 36, 37, 38 and 39 which are dimensioned to receive and frictionally hold the rim 12 of the vessel 10.

In use, the cover-stand 15 is placed on the top of the vessel 10 and the rim 12 is forced into the slots 36-39, the cover being distorted or deformed slightly to receive the rim, so that .the rim is held securely by the slots.

As shown in the drawing the cover-stand is preferably molded as an integral piece from a semi-flexible material such as synthetic resin, e.g. polystyrene, polyethylene or polypropylene. The material must deform slightly to admit the rim of the vessel into the locking slots and to hold the rim tightly when applied. It must, however, be of sufiicient rigidity to support the weight of the vessel when it is used as a stand. The quality of the material generally employed in plastic cups, toys and the like is illustrative of the degree of flexibility required, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art.

It will be obvious that when snapped on over the beaded rim of the vessel 10, the cover-stand forms a secure closure, suppressing volatilization of the active ingredients of the candle 13. Moreover, if the candle had been lighted, the application of the cover-stand would effectively snuff it.

When it is desired to use the candle, the cover-stand is simply pulled off and the vessel 10 is put on the top of the stand, resting on the fiat surface 21, and is supported in an elevated position by the stand. The legs 22-25 by supporting the bottom wall 18 of the cup 17 substantially above the supporting surface 26, prevent any carbon which might have adhered to that surface from a previous snufling, from soiling tablecloths or the like.

Although the invention has been described particularly in connection with insect repellant candles, it is evidently of broader application. For example, it might be employed with incense, or germicidal candles or Vaporizers. The combination cover-stand is also usable with enwhen said candle is in use.

3 tirely different devices, for example,-miniature aquariums or terrariums.

What is claimed is: i I 1. An insect repellant candle assembly comprising a vessel having tapered walls converging toward an opening, an insect repellant candle within said vessel, and a combination cover-stand, said-cover-stand being adapted to fit closely over saidopening to suppress vaporization of repellant from said candle during storage, and having means for supporting said vessel in an elevated position, when said candle is in use. Y

2. An insect repellant candle assembly comprising a vessel having tapered walls converging on an opening, a candle in said vessel, and combination stand-closure means for sealing said opening during storage, said closure means having an upper surface and legs'for supporting said vessel in an elevated position when said candle is in use.

3. An insect repellant candle assembly comprising a vessel having an opening and adapted to receive a candle,

a beaded rim on said opening, and combination standclosure means, said stand-closure means having locking means to receive said rim when said candle is to be stored and supporting means for supporting said vessel 4. An insect repellant candle assembly comprising. a vessel having an opening with a rim, a'candle in said vessel, and a combination cover and stand, said cover and stand comprising adepressed central portion, an outer wall, ribs extending from said outer Wall toward said depressed central portion butterminating short of said central portion to define, with said central portion, locking slots for therim of said vessel, and legs extending from said outer wall to .supportsaid. vessel whensaid candle is in use.

5. A combination cover and stand for a vessel having an opening, comprising an outer wall, a depressed cuplike central portion, a substantially flat upper surface extending between said outer wall .and said depressed central portion, and a pluralityof ribs extending from said outer wall toward said central portion but terminat- 4i ing short-of said central portion to define a plurality of locking slots for receiving the rim of said vessel opening. 6. The combination cover and stand claimed in claim 5 wherein the outer wall has legs extending therefrom.

7. A combination cover and stand for a vessel having a rimmed opening comprising an outwardly and downwardly tapered circumferential outer wall, a central cup having an inwardly anddownwardly' tapered-wall, an upper surface connecting said outer wall and said wall of said cup and a plurality of ribs extending from the inside of said outer wall inwardly toward the wall of said cup wallbut terminating short of the wall of said cup to define a plurality ofslots for receiving the rim of the opening.

3 A container-closure assembly for insect repellant candles comprising a vessel having an opening, a conical side wall tapering toward said opening, anda flatbottom, a rim about said opening, and a combination closurestand comprising a circumferentialouter wall, legs de-- pending from said outer Wall, an upper surface for receiving the bottomof said vessel when said combination cover-closure is employed as a stand and locking means for receiving the rim of said vessel when said closurestand is used as a cover.

9.. The assembly claimed in claim 8 wherein the coverstand comprises ribs and a cup shaped-central cavity having a side well, said ribs and said side wall defining locking slots for receiving the rim of the vessel.

MORRIS o. WOLK, Primary Examiner.

F. W. BROWN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN INSECT REPELLANT CANDLE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A VESSEL HAVING TAPERED WALLS CONVERGING TOWARD AN OPENING, AN INSECT REPELLANT CANDLE WITHIN SAID VESSEL, AND A COMBINATION COVER-STAND, SAID COVER-STAND BEING ADAPTED TO FIT CLOSELY OVER SAID OPENING TO SUPRESS VAPORIZATION OF REPELLANT FROM SAID CANDLE DURING STORAGE, AND HAVING MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID VESSEL IN AN ELEVATED POSITION, WHEN SAID CANDLE IS IN USE. 